in case this happens...

[mponce]

Hi all, i live here in the sf bay area which is going thru a harsh storm right now. The power has stuttered about 3 times today, but seems to be holding up. But what if the power DID go out? What would I need for a backup source to keep my tanks running?
thanks in advance!

[ljosh]

I personally would get a small generator. You should be able to find one foraround $200 - $300. As long as it has enough wattage to run your heaters and circulation.

Another option would be battery powered air pumps. There are ones you can get that you plug in and when the power goes out they automatically turn on.

If running a generator is out of the question because of noise or whatever, you could buy a marine battery and small battery invertor. You would need a battery charger as well you have to remeber to keep it charged up.

I use the backup air pump incase the power goes out when I am at work. At least the tank will be aerated until I get home to hook up the generator.

[geraldwhite]

Well a generator will work... but it depends on alot of factors, such as: size, power use, type of tank etc... A UPS would work but not for more then an hour or two...

I think your biggest concern is the heater and powerheads, figure the power consumption of those together then you can get an idea of what it would take to run them for a period of time during and outage.

[rfdoc]

I've been thinking of the same thing. What about a small UPS unit, one used for a computer. Are they effective on a reef tank, does anyone have a setup with one of these?

[Sk8r]

A UPS can hold a small pump longer than a big one...and a maxijet could be real useful, just pumping water up from your tank and letting a hose drop it back in from a little height. Oxygen is your biggest worry. I'd suggest using a UPS if you must, borrowing from your computer in a pinch, but cycling on for 5 minutes every hour---assuming your tank is lightly stocked. THis will save power over hours of no supply.

Here is where overstocking is a real disadvantage.

[rfdoc]

I was more concerned with the heater not working especially now during the winter. I lost power during the night a couple weeks ago and the temperature in the tank (72gal) dropped 2 degrees in 90 minutes. I am looking for some kind of automatic backup because the odds are too great it will happen when I'm not home. I think a small UPS is what I'm looking to get to plug my heater and 1 powerhead into.

[Deb91]

Sorry to jump in here but what is a UPS?

[rfdoc]

Uninterruptible Power Supply, its a battery backup for electronic equipment

[snorvich]

In my area of the country, loss of power can be serious during the winter so I have installed a generator which will run my tanks. This particular option is the automatic kind which turns itself on within a second of power outage. Saved me a couple of times already. Sk8r has some great ideas and comments.

[Playa-1]

I think you should invest in a small generator. Especially since your in an area that would be prone to many possible disasters which could kill the power for days or weeks at a time.